Good food sold for good cause

Kiwanis Pancake Day supports programs for local young people

Spencer Anders, 5, right, and brother Parker Anders, 3, eat pancakes during the Kiwanis Club of Tuscaloosa’s 36th annual Pancake Day at Central High School on Saturday.

Dusty Compton | The Tuscaloosa News

By Lindsee GentrySpecial to the Tuscaloosa News

Published: Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, March 9, 2013 at 7:37 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | The Kiwanis Club of Tuscaloosa has been serving up pancakes and sausage for 36 years in its effort to support local youth programs.

The fundraiser held Saturday left Tuscaloosa residents of all ages with full stomachs and smiles as they enjoyed local entertainment, special guests and face painting.

The club supports local chapters of organizations like Reading Is Fundamental, United Cerebral Palsy of West Alabama and the Special Olympics. Pancake Day is crucial to that effort, as it is the club’s main fundraiser of the year, said Robert Lanoux, Kiwanis Club member and WSV Architects associate.

Because companies donate the food, tickets and other necessary items, the Kiwanians are able to use all the proceeds for philanthropic purposes, he said. In the past, the group has earned from $12,000 to $20,000 from Pancake Day, Lanoux said.

Approximately 80 to 100 volunteers, including students from the collegiate level Circle K and high school level Key Club, participated to make the day a success, said Jason McNeil, another Kiwanis Club member.

“The students came in around 5 a.m and have been here since,” McNeil said. “It gives us a chance to connect with them and engage with them. “

The Kiwanis Club works with sponsored youth programs, including providing advisors to work with young people on their own projects.

“They help guide them, but the students choose their own projects,” McNeil said.

Pancake Day, which funds Kiwanis’ local efforts, is not the club’s only focus, however.

“We try to have an active push at the local level and active push at the international level,” Lanoux said.

That push is in the form of the Kiwanis International lemonade program, which is aimed at stopping neonatal tetanus, a condition that is completely treatable with vaccinations but is fatal if not treated, McNeil said.

“In my opinion, this is the best thing you can give your money to right now,” McNeil said. “As a father of young children, this really hits home.”

It only takes $1.80 to cure a child, which is a small price to pay to save a life, he said.

<p>TUSCALOOSA | The Kiwanis Club of Tuscaloosa has been serving up pancakes and sausage for 36 years in its effort to support local youth programs.</p><p>The fundraiser held Saturday left Tuscaloosa residents of all ages with full stomachs and smiles as they enjoyed local entertainment, special guests and face painting.</p><p>The club supports local chapters of organizations like Reading Is Fundamental, United Cerebral Palsy of West Alabama and the Special Olympics. Pancake Day is crucial to that effort, as it is the club's main fundraiser of the year, said Robert Lanoux, Kiwanis Club member and WSV Architects associate.</p><p>Because companies donate the food, tickets and other necessary items, the Kiwanians are able to use all the proceeds for philanthropic purposes, he said. In the past, the group has earned from $12,000 to $20,000 from Pancake Day, Lanoux said.</p><p>Approximately 80 to 100 volunteers, including students from the collegiate level Circle K and high school level Key Club, participated to make the day a success, said Jason McNeil, another Kiwanis Club member. </p><p>“The students came in around 5 a.m and have been here since,” McNeil said. “It gives us a chance to connect with them and engage with them. “</p><p>The Kiwanis Club works with sponsored youth programs, including providing advisors to work with young people on their own projects. </p><p>“They help guide them, but the students choose their own projects,” McNeil said.</p><p>Pancake Day, which funds Kiwanis' local efforts, is not the club's only focus, however. </p><p>“We try to have an active push at the local level and active push at the international level,” Lanoux said.</p><p>That push is in the form of the Kiwanis International lemonade program, which is aimed at stopping neonatal tetanus, a condition that is completely treatable with vaccinations but is fatal if not treated, McNeil said.</p><p>“In my opinion, this is the best thing you can give your money to right now,” McNeil said. “As a father of young children, this really hits home.”</p><p>It only takes $1.80 to cure a child, which is a small price to pay to save a life, he said.</p>